Allen O'Bannon '86

Whether you need to learn how to survive in one of the planet’s most inhospitable climates or are simply looking for Telemark skiing tips, Allen O’Bannon B.A. ’86 is your man. An instructor at the National Outdoor Leadership School since 1987 and a former instructor for the U.S. Antarctic Program’s Field Safety Training Program, he has taught outdoor courses all over the world.

The Portland native credits his love of travel to Lewis & Clark’s overseas programs to Kenya and Costa Rica. “I feel that L&C’s overseas programs did a really good job of exposing participants to other cultures. We learned how to travel in countries that were quite different. Because of those skills and experiences, I’ve never had any reservations about going to different parts of the world; I look forward to it.”

O’Bannon, whose father is Lewis & Clark Professor Emeritus of Economics N. Dale O’Bannon, took courses in many disciplines before deciding to major in natural sciences. He went on to earn a master’s degree from Mankato State University. “One of the strong points of L&C was that it had such a great faculty,” he says.

O’Bannon acquired a taste for snow and ice while learning to ski and climb on the slopes of Mount Hood, and winter courses are his favorites. At Antarctica’s McMurdo Station, he and his colleagues instructed everyone from scientists to mechanics to general assistants in cold weather survival, sea ice safety, GPS skills, altitude illness treatment, and crevasse travel. In addition to training, O’Bannon worked as a safety officer and guide with FSTP, traveling around the continent.

“My students and I often travel and camp in small, hermetic groups. Learning to function as part of a unit in a new environment has its challenges. Lewis & Clark is where I first learned to live comfortably within a group myself, and I draw on those experiences to help my students develop the coping skills they need to get along and have a good time.”

Even during his brief sojourns indoors, O’Bannon doesn’t rest. He is the author of several books illustrated by friend Mike Clelland, including Allen and Mike’s Really Cool Backcountry Ski Book, Allen and Mike’s Really Cool Telemark Tips, and Allen and Mike’s Really Cool Backpackin’ Book.

(Posted May 2006)